Fur-al High

[Shinzuu Katame: Her Tolfy]

When they all arrived back at the funeral home, they went all the way to the last hall to make it to Schad's wake. This time, however, Shinzuu didn't go in with them, as Shiori made him go find a parking spot across the street. Like before, Shiori signed everyone into the guest book, and sat in the front row. Shinzuu came in just as the wake service started, sitting next to Shiori and Veronica.

[Vee Katame: His Wolfy]

Veronica watched as Shiori signed them all into the guest book again. "What am I, incompetent now that I don't have any parents?" She thought to herself as she watched Shiori. When Shiori went into the room, she followed and had to sit next to her. "I don't want to be here, I don't want to be here. This woman had no respect for parents or their funeral, why must I be made to sit next to her? I don't want to be here, I don't want to be here. One funeral per day is my limit. This is depressing. I just want to get out." She glanced over at Reno where he was sitting. He looked miserable. She sighed inwardly. "But I need to stay to support him. He beats himself up about this so much even when it's not his fault. I can't imagine what it'd be like to lose--" She glanced at Shinzuu then quickly looked toward the casket. "Losing my parents is the same anyway, I know how it feels. I don't even know how I feel about Shinzuu. What the hell! Why am I even thinking about this?! I've got to stop." She shook her head the tiniest bit and tried to block her thoughts and pay attention to the wake service.

[Goblin Cat 😸]

Marlowe wandered away from her father as he helped Adali. She felt awkward, almost like a third wheel, so she made her way down the hallways and inside the room where the services were going to be held, sitting in an empty pew by herself. Eventually people started to arrive and the casket was wheeled in and opened. Schad layed there, dressed up in a black dress almost similar to her own. When Marlowe looked at her, it looked as if she was sleeping... Except for a scar from where they had cut into her. Marlowe reached down and pulled the dress up to cover it. She never really expected to see her friend like this when they met again. She took her place back on the front row and waited for her father to come in. Music played softly as the services started. There were few family members there, and even fewer friends, but Marlowe noticed a few people her age there as well, so she figured Schad had made some friends. She looked down to the ground scuffing her converses that were now visible that she was sitting on the ground. She didn't turn around until she heard Adali sobbing, and saw her father doing his best to keep Adali together.

When they got to the first row he sat down beside her. She sat near the edge of the isle and Adali sat further away from it, her father imbetween her, putting an arm around both for support.

[Srgntcuddles]

Reno watched the service go on, not taking his eyes of Schadenfreude's casket the moment it came into the room. He saw some girl do something to it, not really thinking about anything else he just ignored her. He still felt sick and full of anguish, but he kept a solemn expression on his face trying to stay strong. He didn't want to cry, but at the same time he was fighting to hold back tears. Suddenly he balled his hands into fists, trying to replace his sorrow with anger to make it easier. "It's all my fault...I caused this!"

[Shinzuu Katame: Her Tolfy]

Shinzuu sighed as he watched Schad's body laying there for the service. Only a couple days ago... only a couple days ago, she was fine, and we were all just on our own little drama trips. Now, she's laying here where she shouldn't be for another 70 years." After the speaker finished, he waved a gesturing hand to Schad's mother, "Now if the mother will say a few words before we close this session for the cremation."

[Vee Katame: His Wolfy]

Veronica listened to the service in silence. It seemed like forever since she'd spoken last. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Reno's hands balling up into fists and she could just imagine what he was thinking. Glancing to her left at Shinzuu without moving her head, she thought about how what she was about to do might upset him if she did it, but the fact that Reno needed comforting won out in her even with that consequence. Her eyes moved to look toward the priest and she started to move her hand over to Reno. She gently rested her hand on Reno's left hand since it was closest to her, not looking at him. If he pulled away, she wouldn't be surprised but she figured she might as well try. It surprised her when she heard the word "cremation" come from the priest, but she didn't show it. "Cremation? That's...unexpected." She thought to herself and wondered how Reno would react to that.

[Goblin Cat 😸]

Adali wiped her eyes, hardly having the strength to get up. She didn't think that she could make it up the stairs, and quickly following behind her was Marlowe, helping her. When she got up to speak, her eyes were puffy and swollen, "Our family wasn't perfect by any means, but I loved my daughter more than anything in the world. I wish I could have been there more than I was because I know she had her problems, but.. " She trailed off and began to cry again.
Mordecai held her, knowing she wouldn't be able to finish. He leaned over to the mic and finished for her, "We all know she's better off where ever she is now, and we all loved her dearly." Marlowe seemed surprised at her father's statement, knowing he wasn't big on faith, but also knowing he didn't have much more to say after that given the circumstances. She watched as he helped Adali down the stairs. She seemed so weak from crying, but Marlowe was somewhat skeptical it may have been alcohol impeding her as well. She was also disappointed that more hadn't been said from Adali, but she turned away from them as they sat down, as if she were both disgusted and angry with them. Her face seemed emotionless as she glanced back at the younger people her age, trying to concentrate hard enough not to be upset to the point of tears, though her feelings were obvious by her ears being lowered. Her father seemed to be having the same reserve, but his ears were also pressed down and he didn't seem as annoyed as Marlowe. By this point Adali was choking back sobs, whispering to Mordecai about how no parent should have to bury their child. She noticed that the rabbit seemed to be angry as well, and partially wondered why, then quickly looked away so they wouldn't think she was staring.

[Srgntcuddles]

Reno jumped on the inside when Veronica put her hand on his. His forced anger vanished in a second. He looked at her hand then looked up at Veronica, still looking at her his eyes looked at Shinzuu and back. His mouth opened as if he were going to say something but no words came out. Quickly he looked forward again just staring at the ground. "What...Is she doin'? Wh-...Is she...Tryin' to comfort me? Do I really look that shaken up about this...? She's worrying about me...I can't hide it from her, she's too smart for tha'...I've become predictable..." A blank and empty expression crawled onto his face as he stared at the ground. "I can't be happy...It's not the place for it...Is it? Yet..." Reno continued to sit there, not knowing what to do or think at that point.

[Shinzuu Katame: Her Tolfy]

The speaker thanked Adali for her words, as well as Mordecai, and helped them down from the podium. "Okay, folks, for those of you staying with us for the cremation, please follow us in the rear entrance. Those who think they cannot handle it, you may get your parking validated in the foyer." When he got up, Shinzuu noticed Veronica's hand on Reno's, but tried to dismiss it as just something that happens in a funeral, and that her caring side is just finally showing. Calm down, man. Calm down...

[Vee Katame: His Wolfy]

Veronica didn't notice that she had jumped Reno when she had placed her hand on his but she did notice him calm a little. In her periphery, she noticed the girl who had gone up with Schad's mother looking over at them. She didn't look at her though because she just figured the girl was seeing who had come to the funeral. When the speaker finished telling them where to go, she got up from where she had been sitting, removing her hand from Reno's. She had seen that Shinzuu noticed where her hand had been when he got up before her, but didn't really bother worrying about it.

[Goblin Cat 😸]

Marlowe stood up to go watch while her father put a hand on her shoulder to stop her momentarily. "I'm not sure if Adali is going to go, she doesn't seem like she can take much more.." he said, trying to get Adali to get up with him. Adali seemed too busy crying to notice they were talking about her.

Marlowe looked away from him and pulled his hand off of her shoulder. "Well, regardless of whether or not she goes, I am. Someone has to be there for Schad if she's not going to be." Her father seemed surprised at her words, and shot Marlowe an angry glare, but didn't want to argue at a funeral. Marlowe continued to look at him, unphased by his reaction. "She's her mother, she should be there, even if she's choked down a few drinks before she got here."

"Whatever. I'm going to get her to the car and try and get her calmed down." He was being snippy with her now, not appreciating what she was saying, but knowing it was all too true. As everyone lined up to follow the casket, Adali came over and leaned in, kissing Schad's body on the cheek and telling her goodbye before they wheeled it off. Marlowe got at the front of the line in her place.

[Srgntcuddles]

Reno got up after Veronica did and followed after the rest of them. "Ugh...I don't want to be here anymore...It hurts...I feel so helpless...And pitiful...I don't want anyone's pity...I never needed it before...I don't need it now. It felt weird though...Why? Why this time of all times? What made it different...I didn't want to hear it from Mr. Avery...Yet when Shinzuu and Veronica...I don't know what to make of it...I want to be alone...I...Want Schad back..."

[Shinzuu Katame: Her Tolfy]

Shinzuu's mood remained somber as they all lined up at the back entrance, which led to the furnace. A crew was seen leaving as they entered, a crew that had cleaned the furnace thoroughly, so no ashes were mixed in with Schad's. There, they lined up side by side, standing shoulder to shoulder on either side of the casket. A different priest from before came in and read the rites and the doors opened as he finished. The priest starting saying a long prayer as the conveyor belt very slowly moved the casket in. Shinzuu watched in a sad mood as it did, and noticed Veronica's eyes just through some of the flames. Though it wasn't the moment, he couldn't help but stare into them. He quickly caught himself and paid his attention back to Schad's final moments with the physical world.

[Vee Katame: His Wolfy]

Veronica stood in line with the rest of the people going into the back and proceeded into the cremation room when everyone else did. As they stood by the conveyor and the priest began a prayer, she looked at the casket. Her eyes slowly moved to look toward the furnace. The flames danced inside it and her eyes seemed to glaze over as she looked at them, at least, that's how her eyes would appear to anyone who looked at them. The fire. All her eyes saw was the fire. She felt like someone was watching her, but her gaze didn't falter. Leaning forward slightly, she tried to get a better look at the fire. She leaned further and further toward the fire. Finally, for one reason or another, she snapped out of her "trance" and pulled away, standing up straight again. Dragging her eyes away from the flames, she returned her gaze to the casket and watched it continue to move toward the fire.

[Goblin Cat 😸]

The bull terrier seemed lost in the crowd of no one she knew as she looked on at the casket on the conveyor. She was alone in the true sense because her father had already taken Adali to the car. She seemed upset, but as if she were fighting her feelings. She was more or less upset that their friendship had fallen into such disrepair and they had not fixed it before this moment where now, nothing would matter after. She watched, and scooted closer to the conveyor, so close she could almost touch it, and slipped a bracelet that she had been wearing around her wrist onto the corner of the casket. It was a bracelet with beaded skulls, the skulls were made of bone. She had kept it for a long while after their friendship had died, but it had been Schad's to begin with. She wiped her eye, with her arm and turned away from the others that were watching so that they couldn't see the few tears  silently running down the fur of her cheeks. Schad had let her borrow the bracelet before she moved away, and Marlowe never had the chance to give it back until now. The casket was already in the furnace as she turned back to watch, her vision blurring and her stomach feeling sick as the flames hungrily took hold of Schad's body. She crossed her arms around her torso, holding herself somewhat shaken, the tears continuing to flow.